English

Rapid Software Testing Applied

The Rapid Software Testing Applied class applies Rapid Software Testing methodology to testing a specific product. We do the class online or onsite. We occasionally schedule a major onsite on Orcas Island, but we can also do them onsite at your company, testing your software. RSTA can be taken before or after the other classes. Some students have found this to be a useful prequel to RST; others have said it's a good follow-on.

Goals

Nearly all testing textbooks and classes teach testing based on ideas that are about forty years old. A funny thing about that: we have no particular evidence that those ideas worked even then — and yet, the world is more complicated, today. "Traditional testing" demands that you test with a complete spec, assumes you will test every feature in every way, assume that all important bugs are easy to find in the test lab, and expects that you will write out all your tests cases in detail before you start. Hogwash! None of that is possible, and some of it is actually harmful even to attempt.

Rapid Software Testing is a skill-based and context-driven testing methodology that invites you to apply ingenuity, tools, and lightweight heuristics to test complex products. It's designed to scale. It's designed to engage your brain, instead of making you feel like a stock clerk at a supermarket. It's a methodology that grew out of the culture of innovation in Silicon Valley.

Description

A real-time, hands-on testing experience including testing topic discussions and student work reviews.

Target audience

Although it is helpful to have taken theRST class, it is not required. However, we dorecommend that you review the articles and materials on the Satisficesite.

Program

Course Outline

You will learn:

What is Rapid Software Testing, and why excellent testing is and must be a thoughtful people-centered process.

How to jump into a product and find bugs while you learn all about it, while working toward "deep coverage" testing.

How to use guideword heuristics to deepen your product analysis.

How to take notes during exploratory testing.

How activity-based test management (e.g. with sessions and threads) can coordinate and illuminate the work of a test team.

How to organize amateur or part-time staff to create an ad hoc team to find bugs fast.

You will do:

This class is not a passive lecture experience. There is a lecture in the morning and afternoon, during which you will interact with James and peer advisors in the chatroom. Each day there is a 90 minute homework assignment which is integral to the class experience, followed by an hour-long webinar where James reviews selected student work. We strive to make this an interactive experience.